Lamp shade and lamp shade frame



Nov. 25, 1941-. A; B KE 2,264,255

LAMP SHADE AND LAMP SHADE FRAME Filed Aug. 26, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 E6 E0 -3 la A, la

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INVENTOR. 1 I

A LFRED .3 un KE BY 5 Q ATTORNEY.

NW. 25, 1941. BURKE. 2,264,255

LAMP SHADE AND LAMP SHADE FRAME Filed Aug. 26, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ALFRED UR KE 1 I (i 4/\ ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 25, 1941 2,264,255 LAM? SHADE AND LAMP SHADEFRAME Alfred Burke, New York, N. Y. Lena A. Burke executrix of said Alfred Burke, deceased, :as- Signor to Lena Burke, New York, .N. Y.

Application August 26, 1939, "SerialNo. ,292,054

8 Claims.

This invention relates to lamp shades and lamp shade frames. One object of the invention is to provide a lamp shade comprising a frame and shade covering which, in the assembly of shade frame and covering, automatically produces a shade in which the covering has an upwardly and outwardly flaring upper marginal portion and a downwardly and outwardly flaring main body portion. More specifically, for accomplishing this object of the invention, there is provided a peripheral frame member having diverging peripheral portions defining a recess, and the covering comprises plaited, fluted or corrugated self-sustaining sheet material so that when the covering is attached to the peripheral frame member with the top marginal edge portion thereof secured in said recess, there is automatically produced in the shade covering said flaring top marginal portion and said flaring main body portion, it being unnecessary to pre-crease or fold .the material of the covering on the peripheral line conforming to said recess.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lamp shade which can be produced economically, particularly in the respect that the assembly of the shade covering with the frame can be quickly and easily accomplished.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lamp shade having parts constructed and arranged so that the lamp shade can be distributed in non-assembled relation to be subsequently assembled either at the retail store or by the consumer.

A further object of the invention is generally to provide a lamp shade of improved construction and appearance.

The above objects of the invention and other objects which might hereinafter appear will be fully understood from the following description considered with reference to the accompanying drawings which, however, are to be considered as illustrative of the invention but not in limitation thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a lamp shade embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view, in elevation, of the frame;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, on the line .3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a lamp shade made in accordance with another form of the invention, only part of the shade covering being shown;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showinganother form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing yet another form of the invention.

' Referring now to the drawings in detail and first to the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, the lamp shade ll] made in accordance with the preferred form of the invention comprises a frame 12, a shade covering l4, and means here shown as an elastic strap or tie member 1-6, for fastening the covering to the frame.

It will be observed that the upper portion of frame covering 14 flares upwardly and outwardly while the main body portion of the shade flares downwardly and outwardly and it will be understood that while the shade is here shown as circu lar in cross-section, other shapes of shades can be readily produced; for example, the shade may be oval or rectangular in cross-section. The shade covering is composed of p'laited or corrugated sheet material which is 'sufiiciently stiff to be self-sustaining, the pleats or corrugations extending between the upper and lower peripheral edges of the shade. More particularly, said shade covering may be composed of stiffened cloth, paper, Celluloid, cellulose acetate, etc., etc., said shade covering being preferably translucent to permit the passage of light therethrough while concealing the lamp bulb.

The frame constructed in accordance with the present invention for accomplishing the above mentioned objects thereof in conjunction with the pjlaited or coriugated shade covering comprises a peripheral member made of sheet metal or other suitable sheet material and has angularly related peripheral portions 18 and 21) extending axially of the shade in diverging relation defining a substantially concave recess 22 in which the upper part of the shade covering I4 is received and positioned and conformed to the surfaces of peripheral portions 18 and '20 so that when said upper portion of the shade covering is secured in said recess 22 by the peripheral tie member IS, the shade covering automatically is shaped to provide therein said upwardly and outwardly flaring upper portion and said downwardly and outwardly flaring main body portion as illustrated in Fig. 1'. Tie member I16 comprises preferably a flat band of elastic material stitched to the shade covering :4 by one or more lines of stitching, here shown as a single line of stitching 24. Elastic band 16 is preferably stitched under tension and partially stitched to the shade covering so that it tends to contract the latter along a peripheral line to a degree necessary to cause the covering to grip the frame in said recess 22. In lieu of the elastic band there may be utilized a tying ribbon applied to the shade covering after the latter is assembled with the frame, or said ribbon may be stitched to said frame covering at one point and tied therearound for securing the covering to the frame. Said frame may be provided with any suitable means for attaching the same to an electric fixture, or as here shown may have a conventional bracket indicated at 26 for supporting the shade on the lamp bulb.

It will be understood that the lamp shade covering l4 can be readily conformed to the parts [8 and 28 of the frame l2 since said covering is plaited or corrugated and can be gathered at the upper portion thereof which is positioned in recess 22, the plaits, flutes or corrugations being disposed more closely to each other than in the main body portion of the shade in which the plaits, flutes or corrugations can be less closely spaced and more shallow for providing the greater covering area required in the part of the shade below the peripheral part of the frame. Preferably, as here shown, the peripheral portion 20 of the frame I2 is wider than peripheral portion 13 in order to properly support and guide the main body portion of the shade covering for shaping the same to the desired outwardly and downwardly flarng peripheral contour. If desired, however, peripheral portion I8 of frame l2 can be substantially wider than here shown and may extend to and even beyond the upper edge of the frame covering in which case said upper edge of the frame covering will be protected by frame portion I8, although ordinarily the construction and arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is preferred.

It will be understood that by virtue of the construction of the frame and covering of the shade as herein shown, the assembly of the parts of the shade is a ver simple matter and can be accomplished with a noteworthy economy of labor at the place of manufacture, or the frame and shade covering can be distributed in non-assembled relation to be assembled at the retail store or by the consumer, since it is merely necessary to place the shade covering on the frame for accomplishing the assembly, and if a tying ribbon is used instead of an elastic band, the only other additional operation after the shade covering is placed on frame I2 is to tie the ribbon around the shade covering for conforming the upper portion thereof to the frame. Further it will be noted that the frame may consist, as here shown, of only an upper peripheral part including the angularly related peripheral portions l8 and 20 and means such as the bracket 26 for supporting the frame on the electric fixture or on the electric bulb. In other words, in accordance with this invention, the lower frame member and the usual side connecting members can be and are preferably dispensed with.

While, as just stated, the lamp shade embodying the present invention is so constructed that the frame need not have a bottom frame member or side members which connect the top and bottom frame members, it is within the scope of the invention to provide the frame with a bottom member or with both a bottom and with side connecting members. Thus, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the top frame member l2a which is of the same construction as the frame I2 is also provided with a bottom frame, here shown as a wire ring 28, whichis connected to frame member l2a by side wires 30. The shade covering 14 is secured to frame member [2a in the same way as that illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, that is by a peripherally extending elastic band or by a tying ribbon. The lower portion of shade covering I4 preferably extends a short distance below bottom member 28 of the frame for concealing the latter. 'It will be understood, that the elastic band or tying ribbon is sufficient to secure the shade covering to the frame and that it is unnecessary to fasten the lower portion of the shade covering to frame member 28 or to the side connecting members 30, said frame member 28 and side wires 30 serving merely to reinforce or to assist in maintaining the contour of the shade covering.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5, the upper frame member I2b which corresponds to the frame l2 of the shade I0 is formed of wire instead of sheet material. Thus, as here shown, frame member I 2b comprises an upper wire 32, an intermediate wire 34 and a lower wire 36 arranged in coaxial relation and of different diameters to form the peripheral recess 221) which corresponds to the recess 22 of shade I0. Wires 32, 34 and 36 are connected together by the side wires 38 which, as here shown, preferably extend beyond lower wire 36 and are connected to the lower frame member 40 constituted by the circular wire shown. Shade covering I4 is secured to the frame and more particularly to frame member [2b by a suitable tie member such as the elastic band of shade IE1 or by a tie ribbon and as in the case of the shade illustrated in Fig. 4, it is unnecessary to fasten the bottom portion of shade covering to the lower frame member 40 or to the side connecting wires 38, although this may be done if desired. It will be understood that in the shade illustrated in Fig. 5, the lower frame member 48 may be dispensed with and in which case the portions of the side wires 38 which extend below the wire 36 of upper frame member I2b will be eliminated, said side wires terminating at their lower ends adjacent lower wire 36. In other words, the shade illustrated in Fig. 5 may comprise a frame which consists only of an upper 1 frame member, the lower frame member and the side connecting wires being eliminated. In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6, the

shade comprises an upper frame member I20 and a lower frame member [2d, the latter having a larger diameter than the former and each of said frame members being the same or substantially the same as frame member l2 of shade W. In this form of the invention the shade covering I4 is secured to frame members and l2d by pe- Thus it is seenthat the shade constructionsh'erein shown or described are well adapted toi accomplish the several objects of the present invention. It will be understood, however, that while I have shown several forms of theinvention, the latter may beembodied otherwise than as here shown, and that in the illustrated embodiments of the invention certainchanges in the details of construction and in the arrangement of parts may be made and will, occur to skilled artisans in view of the present disclosure. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the forms of --thesinvention herein .shown .or described or to any of suchtforms, except as maybe required by the scope ;of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, 'what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. 'A lamp shade comprising a frame'member havingperipherally extending parts having continuous peripheral surfaces, respectively, defining a peripherallyextending recess open at the outer side of the frame, said frame parts being constituted by upper and lower band portions in :fiXBd relation, said upper band portion flaring upwardly .and outwardly and said lower band portion flaring downwardly and outwardly and thereby diverging from each other and defining said peripherally extending recess open at the outer side of the frame, a translucent shade covering having a peripherally extending upper part thereof positionedv in said recess with the inner peripheral surface of said shade part in engagement with said upper and lower band portions on the outer surfaces thereof whereby a portion of said upper part of the shade flares upwardly and outwardly and a portion of said shade part flares downwardlyand outwardly, said upwardly and downwardly flaring shade portions being integral with each other, and means engaging the outer surface of said part of the shade covering at the peripheral line of juncture between said oppositely flaring portions for holding the same U in said recess, said shade covering comprising pleated sheet material which is self-supporting, the pleats in said material extending longitudinaily of the shade and converging toward each other from the upper and lower edges of the shade toward said band portions, respectively, of the frame.

2. A lamp shade comprising a frame member having peripherally extending parts having continuous peripheral surfaces, respectively, defining a peripherally extending recess open at the outer side of the frame, a translucent shade covering having a peripherally extending upper part thereof positioned in said recess with the inner peripheral surface of said shade part in engagement with said peripherally extending parts on the outer surfaces thereof, and means engaging the outer surface of said part of the shade coving in said recess for holding the same in said recess, said covering being formed from relatively stiff sheet material having upwardly and downwardly outwardly flaring portions and extending in opposite directions, respectively, from said recess in self-sustaining relation, said sheet material being pleated and the pleats thereof extending longitudinally of the shade and in converging relation from the upper and lower edges, respectively, of the shade toward said recess, said recess-defining parts constituting the sole supporting means for said shade covering on said frame.

3. A lamp shade comprising a frame member having peripherally extending parts having continuous peripheral surfaces, respectively, defining a peripherally extending recess open at the outer side of the frame, a shade covering having a peripherally extending integral upper part thereof positioned in said recess with the inner peripheral surface thereof in engagement with said peripherally extending parts on the outer surfaces thereof, said covering being formed from relatively stiff and translucent sheet material, said upper integral part of said covering extending upwardly and flaring outwardly from said recess in self-sustaining relation, the major part of said covering extending downwardly ;and flaring outwardly of said recess in self-.sustaming relation, said sheet material being pleated and the pleats thereof extending longitudinally of the shade and in converging relation from the upper and lower edges, respectively, of the shade toward :said recess, and means engaging said-upper part of the shade covering in said recess :for ,securingthe shade covering in said recess and for holding the covering in said flaring relation, said "shade covering being held with said parts thereof in said oppositely flaring relation solely by said frame parts and said securing means.

4. A lamp shade comprising a frame member having peripherally extending parts having continuous peripheral surfaces, respectively, defining a peripherally extending recess open at the outer side of the frame, a pleated shade covering of translucent sheet material having .a peripherally extending upper part thereof positioned in said recess with the peripheral inner surface of said shade part in engagement with said peripherally extending parts on the outer surfaces thereof, and means engaging the outer surface of said part of the shade covering in said recess for holding the same in said recess, said shade covering being held with said parts thereof in said oppositely flaring relation solely by said frame parts and said securing means said covering being formed from relativeiy stiff sheet material and having upwardly and downwardly outwardly flaring portions, respectively, extending from said recess in self-sustaining relation longitudinally of said frame beyond said peripherally extending parts, respectively, said sheet material being pleated and the pleats thereof extending longitudinally of the shade and in converging relation from the upper .and lower edges, respectively, of the shade toward said recess.

5. A lamp shade comprising a frame member having peripherally extending parts comprising peripheral band portions disposed in outwardly diverging relation and defining a peripherally extending recess open at the outer side of the frame, a pleated shade covering of translucent sheet material having a peripherally extending upper part thereof positioned in said recess with the inner peripheral surface of said shade part in engagement with said peripherally extending parts on the outer surfaces thereof, said covering being formed from relatively stifl sheet material, a part of said covering extending upwardly and flaring outwardly from said recess in selfsustaining relation beyond the upper edge of one of said band portions, the major part of said covering extending downwardly and flaringoutwardly of said recess in self-sustaining relation beyond the lower edge of the other of said band portions, said sheet material being pleated and the pleats thereof extending longitudinally of the shade and in converging relation from the upper and lower edges, respectively, of the shade toward said recess, and means for securing the shade covering to the frame in said recess for holding the covering in said flaring relation, said peripheral band portions constituting the sole supporting means for said shade covering.

6. A lamp shade covering for a frame having peripherally extending parts defining a peripherally continuous recess open at the outer side of the frame, said shade covering comprising a peripherally continuous body of pleated flexible sheet material, the pleats in said material extending between the upper and lower edges of said body, and a band of elastic material disposed around said body of pleated sheet material and stitched thereto, said elastic band being spaced from the upper edge of said body but substantially nearer to said upper edge than to said lower edge and being initially shorter than the peripheral length of the body at the part thereof to which the band is stitched whereby when said body is mounted on said frame, said elastic band flexes said part of the body into said recess and thereby secures the body to said frame parts with the major part of said body flaring outwardly and downwardly from said frame parts, said body being sufliciently stiff to be self-sustaining in said flaring relation.

'7. A lamp shade comprising a frame member having peripherally extending parts having continuous peripheral surfaces, respectively, defining a peripherally extending recess open,- at the outer side of the frame, a shade covering having a peripherally extending integral upper part thereof positioned in said recess with the inner peripheral surface thereof in engagement with said peripherally extending parts on the outer surfaces thereof, said covering being formed from relatively stiff and translucent sheet material, said upper integral part of said covering extending upwardly and flaring outwardly from said recess in self-sustaining relation, the major part of said covering extending downwardly and flaring outwardly of said recess in self-sustaining relation, said sheet material being pleated and the pleats thereof extending longitudinally of the shade and in converging relation from the upper and lower edges, respectively, of the shade toward said recess, and means comprising an elastic member engaging said upper part of the shade covering in said recess for securing the shade covering in said recess and for holding the covering in said flaring relation, said shade covering being held with said parts thereof in said oppositely flaring relation solely by said frame parts and said securing means.

8. A lamp shade comprising a frame member having peripherally extending parts having continuous peripheral surfaces, respectively, defining a peripherally extending recess open at the outer side of the frame, said frame parts being constituted by upper and lower band portions in fixed relation, said upper band portion flaring upwardly and outwardly and said lower band portion flaring downwardly and outwardly and thereby diverging from each other and defining said peripherally extending recess open at the outer side of the frame, a translucent shade covering having a peripherally extending upper part thereof positioned in said recess with the inner peripheral surface of said shade part in engagement with said upper and lower band portions on the outer surfaces thereof whereby a portion of said upper part of the shade flares upwardly and outwardly and a portion of said shade part flares downwardly and outwardly, said upwardly and downwardly flaring shade portions being integral with each other, and means comprising an elastic band extending peripherally of the shade covering and secured thereto at the peripheral line of juncture between said oppositely flaring portions for holding the same in said recess, said shade covering comprising pleated sheet material which is self-supporting, the pleats in said material extending longitudinally of the shade and converging toward each other from the upper and lower edges of the shade toward said band portions, respectively, of the frame.

ALFRED BURKE. 

